Text Size

-

+

reset

POLITICO 44

Wu had defiantly told Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and other top House Democrats throughout the weekend and into Monday that he was not leaving office, despite resignation calls from Oregon Democrats. Wu told Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.) that he had “done nothing illegal” in his encounter with the girl, who was 18 at the time of the incident.

But aides to the two Democratic senators from Oregon, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, told Wu’s chief of staff early Tuesday morning that they were going to call on him to step down, pressure likely to trigger a wave of similar denouncements from their Capitol Hill colleagues.Wyden and Merkley tried to speak to Wu directly, but he would not take their call, a Democratic source said.

Faced with this development, and privately being urged to step down by House leaders, Wu decided to get out immediately.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be a United States Congressman. Rare is the nation in which an immigrant child can become a national political figure. I thank God and my parents for the privilege of being an American,” said Wu in a statement released by his office.

“Now, however, the time has come to hand on the privilege of high office. I cannot care for my family the way I wish while serving in Congress and fighting these very serious allegations.”

Wu did not give a date for his departure, saying it will come “upon resolution of the debt-ceiling crisis.”

Wu added: “The wellbeing of my children must come before anything else. With great sadness, I therefore intend to resign effective upon the resolution of the debt-ceiling crisis. This is the right decision for my family, the institution of the House, and my colleagues.

Wu called it “the only correct decision to avoid any distraction from the important work at hand in Washington. I intend to go forward with new resolve and love of family, the State of Oregon, and our nation.”

Wu does not face any criminal charges related to the incident, which took place over the Thanksgiving weekend in California last year.

Pelosi had no immediate comment on Wu’s decision, but she and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Steve Israel (N.Y.) had called for an immediate Ethics Committee investigation into the episode this weekend.

Wyden and Merkley had already drafted a statement calling on Wu to resign, saying the veteran lawmaker had lost his ability to represent his constituents due to the growing scandal.

“While no one takes pleasure in asking a colleague to resign, we believe he can no longer be an effective representative for our shared constituents and should, in the best interest of Oregon, step down,” Wyden and Merkley said in a joint statement which was not officially released before Wu said he was resigning.

The Oregonian, which first reported on the sexual encounter in a Friday night story, also called for him to leave office.

Wu was a scumbag with a long history of intrasigence. Glad he's out. But, the real difference between the parties on these issues is that the republican party is happy to let their perverts, law breakers and lechers continue business as usual. While democrats call for members of their party to resign. You can always tell the immoral hypocrits by who's screaming the loudest about their moral high ground.

But, the real difference between the parties on these issues is that the republican party is happy to let their perverts, law breakers and lechers continue business as usual. While democrats call for members of their party to resign. You can always tell the immoral hypocrits by who's screaming the loudest about their moral high ground.

Good to see he's gone. It's not a Democrat or Republican issue with this, it's an issue of the culture of corruption on Capital Hill. Yes, you have many fine representatives/senators but there are also far too many David Wu's, Anthony Weiner's, Larry Craig and John Ensign's. It's time to look beyond party and vote out those who hold us in disdain.

It's not a Democrat or Republican issue with this, it's an issue of the culture of corruption on Capital Hill. Yes, you have many fine representatives/senators but there are also far too many David Wu's, Anthony Weiner's, Larry Craig and John Ensign's. It's time to look beyond party and vote out those who hold us in disdain.

Good to see he's gone. It's not a Democrat or Republican issue with this, it's an issue of the culture of corruption on Capital Hill. Yes, you have many fine representatives/senators but there are also far too many David Wu's, Anthony Weiner's, Larry Craig and John Ensign's. It's time to look beyond party and vote out those who hold us in disdain.

Craig never resigned unlike the others, but I do agree with the gist of your statement.